immagine that if you are here by the beginning of the week after the next it will be in time. Albany, Aug. 14, 1784. Mr. Chancellor Livingston. [No. 5477a.] Copy of Message from Arthur Lee & Richard Butler, United States Commissioners, to the Chiefs of the Six Nations that They Will Meet Them at Fort Schuyler on the 20th prox. Peter and other Oneida & Tuscarora Chiefs informed his Excellency the Governor that they had received a letter from Arthur Lee & Richard Butler which they were desireous he should see but they had left it with their other Papers at Oneida; they, therefore, preferred to send a Runner for it which they accordingly did & it being produced to the Commissioners the following Copy was taken from it. THE MESSAGE. To the Sachems and Warriors &c of the Oneidas & Tuskaroras Allies of the United States and Tribes of the Six Nations. Brethren, The late trouble in which we have been mutually involved being happily ended-Congress have thought proper to appoint us Commissioners to transact all kind of public business between the United States and our Brethren the Oneidas & Tuskaroras and to settle a general Peace with all the Indian Nations from the Ohio River to the Great Lakes. We now inform you by the Hand of our Messenger & Brother Samuel Kirkland, and Mr. James Deane, the Interpreter and Servant of Congress that we are making every preperation and exertion to expedite a meeting with you. We have lately heard that you are called to a Treaty by the Governor of New York. We know nothing of his intention or meaning, he not being authorised by Congress. Yet should you be set out to attend that Treaty, it would be hard to give you the fatigue of another Journey and although it was our intention the Great Council Fire of Congress with the six Nations should be held at Niagara, we will in order to accommodate you, meet you at Fort Stanwix on the twentieth day of September next where we expect you will certainly attend. We are your friends and brothers: Indorsed L. S. Arthur Lee. L. S. Rich'd Butler. Message to the Oneidas & Tuskaroras August 18th, 1784-New York. I do certify the preceding to be a true Copy. [No. 5478.] Colonel James Monroe at Schenectady is Unable to Understand Schenectady, Augt. 19, 1784. Dear Sir, Upon confering on my arrival here with Mr. McFarlin, & others possessing the latest intelligence from the posts in possession of the British, I found yr. Excellency's suggestions respecting the difficulty of passing them, entirely confirmed. The officer at Oswego inform'd him that his orders from the commander in chief restrained him from suffering any person, even of their own army, to pass unless authoris'd by himself. Unless I co'd pass further it wo'd be useless for me to go to Oswego. Your Excellency will be so kind as [to] inform me |